Cecil man, 29, charged in murder of Kami Ring

Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit have charged an acquaintance of a 10-year-old Cecil County girl in connection with her death earlier this week.

Richard Madden, 29, of the 100 block of Waibel Road in Port Deposit was arrested by State Police and charged with first and second degree murder, first degree assault and first degree rape in the death of 10-year-old Kami Ring of Charlestown, according to a new release from State Police.

Madden was being processed at the North East Barrack at the time his arrest was announced early Thursday evening. He was expected to be transported to a District Court commissioner for an initial appearance, State Police said.

State Police said Madden was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Thursday without incident, after investigators consulted with Cecil County State's Attorney Edward Rollins III.

At the time of his arrest, Madden was already being held at the Cecil County Detention Center in Elkton for violating his probation stemming from drug charges filed against him on Monday. Maryland online court records show Madden has had a history of contact with the criminal justice system.

Kami's body was found in a field across the street from the home she was visiting on Waibel Road. Madden was one of three residents living at the home, State Police had said previously.

They have not identified the other two residents, except to say they are a couple Kami considered to be her surrogate grandparents, even though there was no biological relationship. State Police said Thursday that Madden is the couple's son and also has no biological relationship to Kami.

State Police crime scene analysts, working closely with homicide investigators, gathered evidence from the field, in which Kami was found, and from the Waibel Road residence, where she was believed to be staying. Investigators spent all day Monday and Tuesday searching for evidence in the neighborhood.

Biological evidence linked Madden to the murder, State Police said. Autopsy results revealed the cause of death as blunt force trauma and asphyxia, they said.

A motive for the murder remains unclear at this time, State Police said.

No further information was available Thursday evening, a duty officer at State Police Headquarters in Pikesville said, other than that the investigation is continuing.

More than 200 people attended a candlelight vigil for Kami Wednesday evening in Charlestown, where lived with a stepsister and stepbrother and attended the local elementary school.

Kami's funeral will be held Monday at noon at Crouch Funeral Home in North East, with visitation beginning at 9 a.m.